The present invention relates to an analog signal analyzer, and particularly to one for analyzing an analog signal in order to count the number of significant peaks and valleys therein. The invention is particularly useful with respect to the method and apparatus for measuring the motility of sperm cells as described in the above-cited patent application Ser. No. 908,531, and is therefore described herein with respect to such a use.
The above-cited Patent Application discloses a technique for measuring the motility of sperm cells by placing a suspension of the sperm cells in a transparent container and continuously examining a predetermined field of the suspension to detect the variations in optical density by the collective wave-like motion of batches of the sperm cells through this field. An amplitude-modulated analog electrical signal is generated in response to these variations in optical density, and the significant peaks and valleys of this analog signal are counted over a predetermined period of time to provide an index of sperm motility.
The present invention relates to an analyzer which is particularly useful for analyzing the analog signal amplitude-modulated according to the variations in optical density, in order to count the significant peaks and valleys of the analog signal over a predetermined period of time to provide the index of sperm motility. The invention, however, can also be used in other applications for analyzing an analog signal in order to count the number of significant peaks and/or valleys therein.